Without exaggeration, Morrissey’s fictional debut is the worst novel I can remember reading. It is gibberish, from beginning to end. Pretentious but sub-literate, it reads as if it has been translated, perhaps from Hungarian, using an internet translation engine. (Theo Tait, Sunday Times Oct 2015)

the Incredible String Band's world of music hall whimsy and sweetshop wackiness (Wildly arcane, literary and genre-defying Celtic/psychedelic/world music... forever changed the musical landscape before the magic somehow leaked away in the harsher light of the mid-seventies. BBC)

Who does not dislike a 'boneless' hand extended as though it were a spray of sea-weed, or a miniature boiled pudding? (Emily Post on limp handshakes)

The carefully repopulated Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs has issued a witheringly polite letter to the present home secretary, warning that her bill proposing a blanket ban on psychoactive substances is, to put it mildly, unenforceable. (New Scientist July 2015)

All those thoroughly forgotten books by them all. (Hugh Pearman on the Sitwells)

The horrific, scything pain of Rupert Pupkin's laughs. (Paul Whitelaw)One of those sad, later Peter Sellers films. (Paul Whitelaw)Truly dire knockabout panto Shameless, which did more to
promote the offensive stereotype of the so-called underclass as a bunch
of hedonistic, work-shy scroungers than a dozen Katie Hopkins columns.
(Paul Whitelaw He also calls Sherlock "self-indulgent". No sh*it!)

Nowadays girls are obliged to apply for the job [of head girl] by writing a toadying letter. There are even templates and tips online. You are supposed to talk about life skills and challenges. Sample head girl manifestos smack of business plans, packed with public relations terminology. (Guardian May 2015)

Simenon makes the self-conscious avant-gardism of his time seem so much hysteria. (Irish Times)

“I just can't account for the hostility that's been directed at our state,” he said, revealing himself to be either wildly disingenuous or unbelievably oblivious. “I've been taken aback by the mischaracterizations from outside the state of Indiana about what is in this bill.” (Indiana’s Governor Mike Pence March 2015 Update: He’s going to tinker with the religious freedom act so that businesses can use it as an excuse to discriminate against LGBT people.)

overwrought beseeching lovey dovey scenes (TD on Dr Who)

I have a surprisingly high tolerance threshold for wry inconsequential newspaper columns, meaningless filler though they be. (Hugh Pearman)

interminable slow trippy bollocks (GC on 2001)

They always turn up at auction in pristine condition, for the simple reason that they are completely and utterly useless. (Bargain Hunt auctioneer on a set of silver/gold spoons in a presentation box.)

weird orchestrated trolling (James O’Brien)

What an absolute shower of utter tossers >> Tory plotted with race thugs to stage fake EDL demo in bid for votes (‏@bat020)‏If we're going to regulate stuff every time Giles Coren gets all petulant and entitled, then the world is f****d. (@JonnElledge)

Johnny Dankworth provides just the right kind of smirky jazzy score. (imdb commenter on 1967 film)